Clipper with snap action detachable head



Oct. 18, 196

M. ANDIS 3,279,062 CLIPPER WITH SNAP ACTION DETACHABLE HEAD Filed March 13; 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Ii by 505/ 449 a; a 0 FWV 5; M q

INVENTOR.

M I AIM Y m Oct. 18, 1966 M. ANDIS ,062

7 CLIPPER WITH SNAP ACTION DETACHABLE HEAD Filed March 13, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR. flm/flr 44 01:

rrdf/VIVL United. States Patent 3,279,062 CLIPPER WITH SNAP ACTION DETACHABLE HEAD Mathew Andis, Racine, Wis., assignor to Andis Clipper C0., Racine, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Mar. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 351,733 8 Claims. (Cl. 30-210) This invention relates to a hair clipper and has particular reference to the type of clipper using a vibratory motor.

Especially when a clipper is designed for cutting human hair, it is convenient to provide interchangeable comb blades to cut the hair at differing distances from the scalp. Some clippers having rotary motors have been provided with interchangeable sets of paired comb blades and re ciprocating blades, but this has not been practicable for clippers having vibratory motors, the reason being that such motors do not have sufficient power to actuate the reciprocating blade of such a set if the set has permanently acting retaining means for holding the blades in assembly.

The present invention makes it practicable for the first time to interchange in sets paired comb and reciprocating blades which have means for holding them in assembly when they are detached from the rest of the clipper. To achieve this result, the present invention contemplates an arrangement such that when the clipper is in use the movable blade is subject solely to the tension communicated to it through the vibratory armature. When the blades are detached from the rest of the clipper, they remain assembled as a unit, being maintained in assembly by separate clamping means which become disengaged automatically when the assembly is mounted on the clipper frame and become re-engaged automatically when the blade assembly is detached from the frame.

The comb blade has a positioning block desirably made of synthetic resin which is rigidly mounted thereon and serves to align the comb blade with the clipper case when the parts are assembled. This block also is used to connect the blade assembly releasably to the comb blade. At its rear margin, the block may have a tongue for which the frame provides a groove, whereby the blade assembly may pivot with respect to the clipper frame during attachment and removal. At its forward margin, the block further includes means coacting with a detent on the clipper frame which snaps into position during assembly and can be released by exerting sufficient pressure on the comb blade to disengage the detent.

Mounted on the detent block and connected with the comb blade are one or more pivoted latch levers which function in unison and include terminal portions releasably engaged with a socket in the reciprocable blade of the set. When the latch levers are so engaged, the reciprocable blade is held securely to the comb blade so that the two can be handled unitarily in application to or removal from the clipper frame. However, the rear end portions of the latch lever or levers extend aft of the fulcrnms in a position to engage an appropriate seat on the clipper frame in a position such that as the blade assembly snaps into the position on the clipper frame the aft ends of the lever or levers are engaged by the seat of the frame and actuated about their fulcrums in a manner to lift the forward ends of the levers completely free of the vibratory blade. It happens at the same time that the vibratory blade is engaged by the socketed extremities of the actuating arm leading thereto from the armature of the vibratory motor, thereby leaving the reciprocable blade subject solely to the action of said arm both for operation and for tensioning.

In the drawings:

FIG, 1 is a fragmentary view partially in side elevation "ice and partially in section showing the forward end of the clipper case and a paired blade assembly as it appears in the process of being attached to the casing.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the blade assembly securely attached to the case.

FIG. 3 is a plan View of the blade assembly.

FIG. 4 is a rear elevation of the blade assembly.

FIG. 5 is a view taken in section on the line 55 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a view showing in perspective the relatively separated comb blade and reciprocable blade of a blade assembly embodying the invention, the parts being shown on a somewhat reduced scale.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the forward end of a clipper case as it appears when the blade assembly is detached.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view of the clipper case in side elevation with portions broken away, the blade assembly being attached thereto.

FIG. 9 is a view fragmentarily showing the magnet and armature as mounted in the clipper.

In accordance with conventional practice, the clipper frame 10 comprises a case for the motor. The motor illustrated includes the usual magnet 11 and an armature 12 which is tuned to oscillate in synchronism with the frequency with which the motor is energized by the alternating current or interrupted current supplied thereto. As best shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the armature carries a pair of spring arms 14 having terminal cups 16 which receive the convexly headed posts 18 that project upwardly from a plate 20 mounted on the reciprocable blade 22. Not only is the vibration of the armature 12 communicated to the reciprocable blade 22 for reciprocating it back and forth on the bearing surfaces 24 and 26 of the comb blade 30, but the arms 14 are also used to maintain the proper tension. In the instant device, the tension is adjustable by means of a screw which is shown at 31 and which bears on an arm 33 of armature 12. Any one of a number of tension adjusting devices may be used to exert thrust on the reciprocable blade toward the shear blade, examples being shown in United States Patent 2,790,236 and in my pending application 170,323, filed February 1, 1962. In a clipper actuated by a vibratory motor, it is essential that the tension be accurately controlled because the reciprocable blade must be firmly seated on the comb blade at the proper height. Yet the tension must not be excessive because this will create friction of the reciprocable blade upon the comb blade of such magnitude that the motor may not vibrate at the desired amplitude of stroke.

Means is provided for maintaining the reciprocable blade assembled to its particular comb blade for unitary handling when the blades are detached from the clipper frame. Because the connecting means required for this purpose would result in excessive friction between the blades if it were permanent-1y effective, I have provided means whereby it becomes effective only when the assembly is detached from the clipper frame.

As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the clipper frame 10 carries at its forward end a shoe 32 having a forwardly directed groove or channel 34. Mounted on the comb blade 30 at the rear end thereof is a block 36, desirably made of synthetic resin, which has a rearwardly projecting tongue or rib 38 which is generally cylindrical in transverse section and is receivable into the channel 34.

The forward margin of block 36 is undercut at 40 to receive the hooks 42 of one or more springs 44 (see, also, FIG. 7). Beveled surfaces 46, best shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, guide the books 42 of springs 44 toward the undercut recesses 40 into which the book ends 42 of springs 44 are received in the assembly of parts shown in FIG. 2. The detent springs 42 engage the forward margins of the same positioning block 36 which provides the tongue and groove connection of the rear margin of such block with the clipper frame to hold the block, and the blade assembly, securely to the clipper frame. Yet the blade assembly can be disengaged from the clipper frame by exerting sufficient force downwardly on the free forward margin of the blades to cause the assembly to oscillate on a fulcrum provided between tongue portion 38 of the block and groove 34 of the frame. Such pivotal movement of the assembly is resisted strongly by the springs 44 until the hooks 42 at the ends of the springs clear undercut recesses 40, whereupon the blade assembly is completely detached from the clipper.

In FIG. 1 the arrow 45 shows the assembly in movement in an engaging direction opposite to that above described. In this operation, the tongue or rib 38 is fulcrumed in the groove 34 as above described and the beveled surface 46 guides the hook ends 42 of the spring or springs 44 to a position such that these will snap into the recesses 40 when the parts reach the assembled posit-ion shown in FIG. 2.

The studs or bosses 49 (FIG. 7 and FIG. 8) provide accurately finished surfaces against which the comb blade seats.

With the blade assembly in position on the casing as shown in FIG. 2, the cups 16 at the end of the spring arms 14 are securely engaged with the respective posts 18 of the reciprocable blade 22 to transmit to this blade the vibratory movement of the armature 12 and the tension controlled by the adjusting screw 31 as above described. Thus, when the clipper is in use, the bias of the reciprocable blade to the shear blade is controlled by the tension adjustment in any customary or appropriate manner. However, in the position of the parts shown in FIG. 1 and in FIGS. 3 to 5, the posts 18 are out of contact with the cups 16 of spring arms 14 and there is therefore nothing in the normal clipper assembly that is capable of either controlling the lateral position of the reciprocable blade or even holding it in assembly on the bearing surfaces 24 and 26 of the comb blade.

To maintain the blades in assembly when they are thus separated from the clipper frame, I provide a lever or levers 47, 48, two such levers preferably being used. They are pivoted on a cross pin 50 carried by ears 51 of the mounting block 36. The levers are disposed between the ears in a recess 52 of such block. A spring 54 has an intermediate portion passing transversely beneath the aft ends 56, 58 of the levers 47, 48. As clearly appears in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the spring is coiled about the ends of the pintle 50 and engaged with the mounting block at 36 to exert a bias on the levers 47, 48 which tends to oscillate them clockwise as viewed in FIG. 5.

The free forward ends of the levers have fingers 60 and 62, respectively (FIG. 3 and FIG. which, in the position of the parts shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5 are firmly engaged in a socket 64 provided in a block 20 which is carried by the reciproca-ble blade 22 and may conveniently have posts 18 integrally formed therewith.

The shoe 32 on the clipper frame has a thrust surface 68 in a position to be engaged by the rear ends 56 and 58 of the detent levers 47 and 48. In the position of the parts shown in FIG. 1, the rear ends of the levers have just engaged the surface 68 of the shoe 32 but the forward extremities 60 and 62 of the detent levers are still engaged in the recess 64. As the assembly is snapped from the position of FIG. 1 to that of FIG. 2, the surface 68 effects counterclockwise oscillation of the levers 47 and 48 to lift the fingers at their forward extremities from the block 20 on the clipper blade 22, thus completely freeing the reciprocable blade of detent lever restraint. As already noted, the same action of mounting blade assembly on the clipper frame has engaged the cups 16 of the spring arms 14 with the post 18 of the reciprocable blade, thus substituting the vibration and tension control of the armature for the restraint provided by the detent.

Conversely when the blade assembly is disengaged from the frame, the same motion which releases the posts 18 from the spring arms 14 also releases the detent levers 47, 48 to allow such levers to be oscillated by their biasing spring 54 to engage their forward ends with the block 20 of the movable blade 22, thereby holding such blade securely to the comb blade for unitary handling.

In both directions of engaging and disengaging movement, the interchange of control of the movable blade as between the spring arm 14 of the armature 12 on the one hand and the detent 64 carried by the comb blade, on the other hand, is entirely automatic in the sense that conscious manipulation by the operator is not required. The whole operation, in both directions, is a function of the bodily movement between the blade assembly and the clipper frame.

While only one set of blades has been illustrated, it will be understood that matched pairs of blades, each pair comprising an assembly of a comb blade and a reciprocating shear blade, will be made up to cut hair in different lengths, the sets of paired blades being freely interchangeable with each other by the means herein disclosed. It will be observed that the operating connections both for the mounting and operation of the parts as herein disclosed are all independent of the thickness of the respective blade or blades of any such set. The plastic blocks 36 and 20 can be applied to the blades of any such assembly.

I claim:

1. In a hair clipper, the combination with a frame and an oscillatory driving member mounted thereon, of a set of unitarily detachable blades, one of which comprises a comb blade and the other a cutting blade reciprocable on the comb blade transversely of the frame, releasable clamp means for holding the blades in assembly when they are not mounted on the frame, releasable means for connecting the comb blade to the frame, the frame and comb blade having cooperating parts engageable when the comb blade is being connected with the frame, one of said parts being fixed to the frame and one of said parts being pivotally mounted on the comb blade and having a spring biasing it to a position from which it is displaced by the part fixed to the frame as the comb blade is connected to the frame, and means for transmitting motion from the spring biased part to the said releasable clamp means to cause the clamp means to hold the blades in assembly when they are dismounted from the frame, the said displacement of the spring biased part as the comb blade is connected to the frame being adapted to release the blades from being held by said clamp means.

2. In a hair clipper, the combination with a comb blade and a cutting blade reciprocable on the comb blade, of a clipper frame, releasable means for detachably connecting the comb blade with the frame, a vibratory motor mounted on the frame and having a driver provided with means for detachably connecting it with the cutting blade for the reciprocation thereof, said means being freely disengageable in the course of disconnection of the comb blade from the frame, means operable through the driver and wholly responsible for regulating the tension of the cutting blade upon the comb blade during driver reciprocation of the cutting blade, and releasable clamp means for holding the cutting blade in assembly upon the comb blade when the comb blade is disconnected from the frame and from the driver, said clamp means having an operating lever pivoted to one of said blades in a position for engagement with the frame in the mounting of the comb blade on the frame for displacement of said lever in a direction for rendering said clamp means ineffective when the comb blade is connected with the frame.

3.'A hair clipper according to claim 2 in which said latch means includes mechanism for connecting and disconnecting said clamp means automatically in the course of the disconnection and connection of the comb blade with the frame.

4. In a hair'clipper, the combination with a set of unitarily detachable blades, one of which comprises a comb blade and the other a cutting blade reciprocable on the comb blade, of a first block mounted on the comb blade, a second block mounted on the cutting blade, latch lever means pivoted on the first block and having end portions engageable with the second block and constituting means for clamping said blades in assembly and means for operating said latch lever means to and from engagement with the second block.

5. A combination according to claim 4 in further combination with a hair clipper frame, means mounted on the frame for detachably connecting the first block with the frame for mounting and dismounting said blades, said means including portions of said lever means and a surface of said frame with which such portion is engageable and disengageable in the mounting and dismounting of the comb blade.

6. A combination according to claim 4 in which a motor is mounted in the frame and has a motor-actuated driver projecting from the frame, the second said block having means engaged by the driver and releasable therefrom in the mounting and dismounting of the comb blade.

7. In a hair clipper, the combination with a frame and a motor thereon provided with a blade driver, of a blade set comprising a comb blade and a reciprocable cutting blade, dismountable means for mounting said comb blade and cutting blade on the frame and including a block mounted on the comb blade, said block and frame having complementary tongue and groove means extending transversely of the frame and providing a pivotal connection between the frame and comb blade at the rear of said block, said mounting means further including spring means mounted on the frame and provided with hook means for which the forward side of the block provides a recess, the hook providing a releasable connection between the frame and the comb blade at the front of the block, a detent lever means having a pivotal connection with the block and extending forwardly therefrom, a second block mounted on the cutting blade and having a socket with which said detent lever means is releasably engageable, the detent lever means and frame having complementary parts engaged in the mounting of the cutting blade on the frame in a direction to release said detent means from the second block, the detent means having biasing means for engaging it with the block upon the dismonnting of the cutting blade from the frame, and

.means connected with the cutting blade and engageable with the driver and disengageable therefrom respectively in the mounting and dismounting of the cutting blade with respect to the frame.

8. In a hair clipper, the combination with a frame having a vibratory motor which includes an armature provided with a driver, a blade set adapated to be detachably mounted on and released from said frame and including a comb blade and a cutting blade reciprocable on the comb blade, means for releasably mounting the comb blade on the frame, means for releasably clamping the cutting blade to the comb blade, a lever pivotally mounted on the comb blade and movable between blade clamping and blade releasing positions, a spring biasing the lever toward blade clamping position, and means on the frame engaging the lever to displace it from blade clamping position against the bias of said spring upon operation of the mounting means to mount the comb blade on the frame, the said lever thereby selectively operating the clamping means in alternation with said mounting means, and mechanism for connecting the cutting blade to receive motion from the driver when the mounting means is operative to mount the blade set on the frame.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,582,320 4/1926 Wahl 30221 2,200,186 5/ 1940 Muros 3043.92 2,704,887 3/1955 Andis 30--2l0 2,793,430 5/ 1957 Carissimi 3043.92

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

J. C. PETERS, Assistant Examiner. 

4. IN A HAIR CLIPPER, THE COMBINATION WITH A SET OF UNITARILY DETACHABLE BLADES, ONE OF WHICH COMPRISES A COMB BLADE AND THE OTHER A CUTTING BLADE RECIPROCABLE ON THE COMB BLADE, OF A FIRST BLOCK MOUNTED ON THE COMB BLADE, A SECOND BLOCK MOUNTED ON THE CUTTING BLADE, LATCH LEVER MEANS PIVOTED ON THE FIRST BLOCK AND HAVING END PORTIONS ENGAGEABLE WITH THE SECOND BLOCK AND CONSTITUTING MEANS FOR CLAMPING SAID BLADES IN ASSEMBLY AND MEANS FOR OPERATING SAID LATCH LEVER MEANS TO AND FORM ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SECOND BLOCK. 